Richard Connell the author of the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” craftily used foreshadowing to suggest that General Zaroff was a cannibal. For example, in the exposition, Rainsford and Whitney discussed Ship-Trap Island and mentioned the word cannibal two times during this brief conversation: “‘Cannibals?’ suggested Rainsford. ‘Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn’t live…’” (Connell 2). While the significance of this repetition is not evident until later in the story when readers meet General Zaroff and learn that he hunts humans for sport, the use of repetition by an author is usually purposely done and often indicates hints or clues for the reader to pay attention to. In another example of foreshadowing, Connell describes General Zaroff…
When people are put at their mercy’s wits, they will do some extravagant things. In Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Sanger Rainsford is the person who deals with these things. The story focuses on Rainsford, a one time, big game hunter, and the events on an island that he swims to after falling off Whitney’s ship. On Ship-Trap Island, Rainsford encounters and is hunted by a deranged man named General Zaroff, who is a tall man with no heart, and likes to hunt more dangerous game. During the events on Ship-Trap Island, Rainsford is witty, exhibits extravagant survival skills, and encounters a revelation.…
In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” Sanger Rainsford is hard hearted and does not care about the animals that he pursues; however, when Rainsford is being hunted he realizes the fear of the prey, and his perspective shifts, therefore, he gains empathy for the quarry.…
In Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, Rainsford is a man who is trapped on a island where they hunt humans. He begins the story as being a hunter and had no understanding of what the animals he hunted felt, but towards the end he understands what it feels like as he is hunted. His dynamic personality and behavior shows that Rainsford is quick-witted, talented, and level-headed.…
Rainsford headed home to his family, but ever since the “Man Hunt” he has been a different man. He acted differently ever since he came back home. He kept himself; he always was in his study, and just sits there. All his meals got sent to his study. He lost his job because he never came in. The family was running low on food, and they needed someone to go out hunting. Rainsford wife went out hunting for food. Sooner or later Rainsford wife divorced him, because he did nothing around the house but stay in his study.…
Zaroff starts to explain to Rainsford how hunting animal’s no longer gives him a thrill, but Rainsford is confused as Zaroff explains what type of creatures he now hunts. After a lengthy conversation at the dinner table, Zaroff gets to the point and says, “It must have courage, cunning, and above all, it must be able to reason.” (Connell). It is here where Rainsford realizes it is humans that Zaroff has moved on to and suddenly Rainsford begins to fear for his life. Zaroff wants a challenge, because all the men he is hunting are making it too easy, so he believes Rainsford will give him a challenge, since he is a hunter himself. Zaroff now makes a deal with Rainsford, “I’ll cheerfully acknowledge myself defeat if I do not find you by midnight of the third day – my sloop will place you on the mainland near a town.” (Connell). If he wants to make it off this island he will need to survive Zaroffs three-day game. Rainsford is sent into the huge jungle with no direction of where he is and all he has is food, clothes, and a knife. The game has now…
Throughout the reading "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell there are multiple incidents of suspense. One of these moments is Rainsford's first encounter with a man named Ivan, who greeted Rainsford with pistol pointed straight at his chest. Almost immediately, the reader began to anticipate whether this character would die, survive, or suffer other consequences such as injury causing tension in the story. Another occurrence of suspense is when General Zaroff begins to tell of the most dangerous game, hence the title. As he begins tell of his life, he states that the animals he had been once so fond of hunting had ceased to be "a sporting proposition" and that they no longer were of fascination. It then became his aspiration to create…
In The Most Dangerous Game, Connell describes Rainsford, the protagonist, as a renowned hunter. Connell uses the opening conversation between Rainsford and Whitney, Rainsford’s companion on the yacht, to enlighten the reader to Rainsford’s attitude of indifference concerning the prey that he hunts. As fate would have it, Rainsford is marooned on an island where he meets another hunter, General Zaroff. As the story progresses, Rainsford begins to see the façade of civility disappear and the real nature of the General come to surface. The General explains how hunting man is the logical progression of their art and that they are actually kindred souls. Rainsford is appalled by the comparison of their two natures and clings to the moral high ground. That is until the General forces Rainsford to now become the prey. Rainsford, now the prey, calls upon not only his vast knowledge and experience of the hunt but also his primeval instinct of survival. Connell takes the reader through many twists and turns giving hope for Rainsford around each corner only to take it away. Due to the cunningness and resourcefulness of Rainsford, the General is given literally the best hunt of his life. In the end, Rainsford outsmarts the General…
Connell makes the reader question the ethics of the characters driving the plot. For example, in the beginning of the story Rainsford can be seen having a very Darwinistic attitude towards hunting animals while General Zaroff has the same approach towards hunting humans. However, General Zaroff has lost sight of the value of human life entirely. He is blinded by the fact that he no longer is able to find game worthy enough for him to hunt anymore and is baffled by the fact that Rainsford refuses to agree with him. “The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong.”(Connell 18). This adds more conflict to the storyline while simultaneously placing Rainsford in a position where the hunter becomes the hunted. “I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life.” (Connell 17). At this point Rainsford is now really placed within an animal 's shoes and it is safe to say that these events have caused a drastic change to his mindset. This clash in ethics can be heavily associated with concepts of literary…
In the story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell shows that Rainsford is regretful, anxious, and fearful. First, it is shown that Rainsford is regretful due to the fact that General Zaroff gives him the option to play the most dangerous game or be whipped by Ivan, to which Rainsford chooses to play the game. Rainsford tries again and again to fall asleep at night, but he is helpless with his choice replaying in his mind. “Rainsford could not quiet his brain with the opiate of sleep.” Second, Rainsford’s anxiousness is shown because he is uneasy about the thought of not being able to see the day after next. Although he is a marvelous hunter, there is a possibility that he may be no match to someone who is undefeated in assassinating humans.…
The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell, is an original nonfiction story about two hunters who take themselves into the Amazon to hunt down animals. Rainsford, one of the main hunters, ends up finding himself on a mysterious island after an accident occurs. Comparing to the film, the characters throughout the scenes differentiate in many ways. Although, the short story itself is entertaining. The changes such as the shipwreck, a love interest, and character development that the director produces a much more dramatic plot, placing the audience on the edge of their seats.…
A boat on the Caribbean Sea is heading to Rio, and a sailor aboard, named Rainsford, falls over the railing into the black waters after hearing gunshots, and swims towards an island with dense jungle and the welcoming General. One example of conflict in the story is when Rainsford hears gun shots fired out in the dark night. This begins the conflict because it is when Rainsford falls out of the boat into the ocean. Zaroff celebrates, "I drink to a foeman worthy of my steel—at last" (Connell 68). General Zaroff is intrigued now that he will be hunting Rainsford, a man with equal wits and skill, in his game. When the knife slingshot set by Rainsford fails to hit the target of Zaroff in the jungle it creates suspense. This means that Rainsford's weapon did not kill his most dangerous enemy and he will have to keep fighting through this game. Richard Connell used conflict to create suspense in "The Most Dangerous Game" to win the reader's attention from the beginning, and go on a frightful journey with Rainsford through the…
When Rainsford falls from the boat Connell describes Rainsford’s primal attempt for survival in animalistic terms stating that he “Doggedly… swam in that direction [of the Island] …with slow deliberate strokes” (Connell,3). Rainsford did not swim mechanically, nor artistically or even in a human fashion, in his desperation, he swam like a dog. Connell, by describing Rainsford’s swimming as dogged, shows that in dire circumstances, even the most rational and trained person, here characterized by Rainsford, resorts to animalistic behavior. This assertion becomes even stronger as the story goes on, when Zaroff finds Rainsford for the first time “The Cossack was the cat; [Rainsford] was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror” (Connell, 12). Striving to survive, Rainsford thought of himself as a cornered animal, and behaved accordingly, he shows that once man is no longer the hunter but the hunted that we act just like prey by hiding, fleeing or scrambling away from our predator. Finishing his story with what he started, Connell shows that humans, just like jaguars “understand one thing--fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death."(Connel,1). One of the only consistencies we see in humans, is the fact that we will all fight or fly in due to fear. Rainsford, as the personification of humanity, fled his predator, which shows us that we truly…
In a great many stories there is suspense, but the story “The Most Dangerous Game” has many instances of suspense to keep the reader wanting to read, all based on the author’s cleverness in taking advantage of human nature. The first instance is in the very beginning- the sailors arriving at “Ship-Trap Island.” Suspense is created by the reputation of the island and the emotions of the sailors. Whitney first mentions, “Didn’t you notice that the crew’s nerves seemed a bit jumpy today?” The suspenseful mood is further backed up the the fact that even “that tough-minded old Swede, who’d go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light” Captain Nielsen, an experienced seafarer, was nervous to be arriving at the eerie island. Nielsen actually…
Suspense is a major factor when creating a work of fiction. Suspense gives the author's audience anticipation. The readers begin to look forward to a certain event in the book, even if they don't know what the event will be or how it is carried out. The suspense keeps the reader hooked in for the entirety of the story. In the two works, Perfume and Chronicles of a Death Foretold, that have been reviewed, both authors used certain techniques for the purpose of suspense: to "make them wait."…